Hey What’s your blog name?
Hi I’m Sarah and write the blog, Sarah Wyland and you can follow me on Instagram here!
Where do you live?
Nashville, Tennessee
Tell us more about you and your blog?
I’m a writer, lifestyle blogger, and life coach and share personal stories, self-improvement content, healthy living content, and the occasional recipe or DIY project.
How long have you been blogging for?
10 years!
What people don’t realize about blogging are…?
The hours that go into it and the “technical knowledge” often required. It’s not just writing words and posting pictures. It’s thinking about SEO, links, etc., but also navigating the occasional hosting issue or updating HTML or CSS.
Give us your best tip for maintaining a blog work/life balance?
Identify your priorities! I have a full-time senior-level marketing job, a coaching practice, and teach Pure Barre. I want to do it all, but I know I can’t, at least not in a healthy way. So I identify my top 3 priorities daily and make sure those things get done and also plan ahead as much as possible. If I know what my priorities are and what dates I’m trying to hit, I work a lot smoother!
What are 3 things you wish you knew about blogging before you started?
- How much time is needed to do it well
- How lonely it can feel if you’re not reaching out to cultivate relationships
- The community that can be created through blogging actually is second to none!
What does a typical work day look like for you?
I have a full-time job as a senior-level marketing professional, so my days are packed. I wake up around 6AM so I can have some quiet time with my devotional and my pups, then get ready for work and head into the office. Some days are meeting heavy while others are more work-focused. Once in a while, I might be able to sneak in a little blog writing during lunch. After work, I typically come home, take the pups for a walk, maybe workout, and then get down to business either blogging or coaching. My weekends are largely when I get my blog and coaching work done. I’m also very mindful about my bandwidth – I need to make sure I take care of myself as I have a tendency to get wrapped up in work (hi, Enneagram 3 here!).
We love a good plugin, what’s your favorite one and how has it helped your business?
SEO Yoast – I’m the world’s biggest proponent of SEO and Yoast is hands-down my favorite plugin. It’s functional, an industry standard, and easy to use.
What skills and qualities do you think are necessary for a successful and professional influencer?
Organization, tenacity, creativity, and perseverance. You also can’t be afraid to fail – or start over which I did recently!
What has blogging taught you that no other career or job has before?
How much I truly do love to write!
If there’s one piece of advice you would give to someone just starting out, what would it be?
Be consistent – but at a pace *you* can sustain. Don’t post daily just because someone else does or some internet guru told you to. Post on a consistent schedule that works for you and where you are right now.
Give us the inside scoop, is there an app or tool that you swear by?
Canva and my Day Designer paper planner. Canva lets me, someone not great at graphic design, create eye-catching graphics for my site while my Day Designer keeps me organized and focused on the day’s priorities.
Let’s daydream. What would your ultimate DREAM partnership look like?
The Grand Ole Opry is my dream partnership. I would love to do a “day in the life” sort of campaign with the Opry – take the backstage tour, attend the show, and capture content like quick interviews with artists from backstage. I love the Opry so much and think it is such a special place. I am the perfect person to showcase the magic that is the Opry!
We love to speak our goals into existence. What’s a current goal you’re working on?
Growing my audience and newsletter. As I mentioned, I had to start over and it was a huge blessing – I’ve been all over the place with my blog over the years and while some may have panicked at the fresh start, I embraced it. Now that the foundation is in place, it’s time to GROW!
Celebrating the wins, even if they’re little ones, is important. What’s your most recent win with your blog?
Starting over! I’ve been so all over the place for so long that I welcomed the opportunity to hit the refresh button.
Okay, we’re grabbing a Starbucks for a coffee date, what are you ordering?
Currently: Cold brew with 2 pumps of sugar-free vanilla syrup, topped with whipped cream!
We’re diving into podcasts lately, what’s a favorite of yours to learn more for your blog?
How I Built This – so inspiring!
